Los Angeles Lakers fans should embrace Brook Lopez

Mar 21, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) warms up before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) warms up before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Los Angeles Lakers fans should embrace Brook Lopez
Mar 21, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) warms up before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Lakers and their fans should embrace the addition of Brook Lopez from the Brooklyn Nets.

The Los Angeles Lakers completed a trade with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the 2017 NBA Draft. The Lakers traded point guard D’Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov to the Nets in exchange for center Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the draft.

It was a trade that was met with much skepticism, mostly because fans were unhappy with the team trading away Russell. Russell was the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and arguably the best player on the team. He will be replaced by Lonzo Ball, the second overall pick in this year’s draft.

But, the Lakers acquired arguably the best player in this deal in Lopez. Here are three reasons why Lakers fans should embrace Lopez despite what they had to trade for him.

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Why the hate?

To the surprise of nobody, many Los Angeles Lakers fans were absolutely FURIOUS when they heard D’Angelo Russell was dealt for Brook Lopez. Obviously, they were distraught from losing Russell but I believe that there was a genuine belief among fans that Lopez was not a respectable player.

Is it because he has a less talented brother, Robin Lopez, who terrorizes opposing teams’ mascots throughout the league? Or is it because he is perceived as injury prone, having missed the majority of two seasons with foot problems? Maybe it’s because he came from the Nets, who are synonymous with losing and have horrible players.

There’s no denying that Lopez carried a certain stigma about him but Lakers fans would be smart to look past it. Here I will discuss why Lakers fans should embrace Lopez as the newest addition to the purple and gold.